1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for designing, constructing and managing the construction of a physical entity such as a building. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system that facilitates a real time project database in data communication with several industry available software tools used in the design, execution and management of a physical entity such as a building.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many industries employ a team of players to design and execute a project. For example, the construction industry employs a team of players to design and construct a building, such as an office building, a hotel/casino, or a manufacturing facility. Typically, the project team includes architects who prepare architectural drawings and specifications of the project according to a developer's direction. The team also includes engineers who are responsible for building systems such as structural, power, heating, cooling, plumbing systems, etc., and interior designers who are responsible for specifications relevant to interior design such as the selection and placement of furniture, paint selection, wall coverings, fixtures, office equipment, systems, etc. The team's contractor implements the designs of the architects, engineers, and interior designers, and is generally responsible for the purchase of materials, electrical systems, mechanical systems, life safety systems, furniture, fixtures, etc., the management of the project budget, and for the management of any or all subcontractors who implement the design drawings and specifications. Finally, project accountants are responsible for payment of goods and services.
In the past, the design and construction of a project involved the transfer of a substantial amount of paper between the various team members. For example, the architect may prepare initial paper specifications and drawings (i.e., blueprints) for a building project. These paper specifications and drawings, in turn, may be provided to one or more additional architectural engineers for modification or approval. The chief architect must provide his paper design specifications and drawings, typically via overnight delivery, to one or more of the collaborating firms. These additional team members typically add components or make modifications to the initial architectural drawings and specifications. Once revision is completed, the collaborating firms return the revised architectural specification and drawings to the architect so that he may compile a master set of building specifications and drawings. Several different, further revisions may occur between the architect and the other project team engineers before the final set of master architectural specifications and drawings is created.
The architectural specifications and drawings, once completed, are also provided to interior designers for input with respect to interior design features such as furniture, wall coverings, paint selection, office equipment, etc. In that each item added to a construction project, including furniture, fixtures, and equipment, typically generates more paper specifications, the interior designers additionally generate a substantial amount of paper that must be properly cataloged and distributed to other project team members. At any point during the project, revisions to the original architectural design specifications and drawings may occur which, in turn, may complicate the specifications of the interior designers and/or collaborating engineers.
Ultimately, the interior design specifications along with the architectural and engineering design specifications and/or drawings are provided to a contractor who, in accordance with the specifications and drawings, coordinates subcontractors, purchasing agents, etc., to purchase the raw materials, electrical systems, mechanical systems, life safety systems, building equipment, labor, fixtures, etc. and facilitates construction management of the project. Construction management or finance team members are responsible for maintaining the budget of the construction project, and must have current, accurate information relating to costs of materials, fixtures, labor, etc. Additionally, accountants pay project invoices and track the project's accounting commitments. At any point, an owner, architect, engineer, interior designer, or contractor may propose modifications to the project that necessitate further, hurried paper transfer amongst the team members to insure that all are working with the same information.
Computer implemented systems have streamlined many manufacturing processes. In the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, software systems have been developed which aid each team member (specific to each team member's position) in the development of a construction project. For example, computer aided design tools have been developed which enable an architect or interior designer to model a design project in a database. These computer aided design tools allow more efficient modifications to an existing design than the prior art method of employing blueprints in which changes were entered by hand. Accounting systems are also available which enable the paperless financial management of a construction project. Additionally, software systems are available to contractors to facilitate the necessary purchases, scheduling and management of a construction project.
While these existing architecture, engineering and construction software systems aid individual construction project team members, communication between the various team members remains as inefficient as in the past. In other words, an architect can make revisions to the architectural specifications of a project by accessing and modifying an existing project database. The architect has no need to generate a hard-copy of the architectural drawings and hand-enter revisions thereto. However, the architect must still communicate with the interior designer, contractor, finance team members, etc., via the old method of printing out and hastily distributing (usually numerous) architectural drawings. This is especially true when project team members wish to modify architectural specifications.